All MSU teams exceed APR standards

MOREHEAD - All 16 Morehead State University athletic teams have again reached the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s multi-year Academic Progress Rate (APR) threshold of 900. The NCAA’s latest study covers the 2008-09, 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-12 school years.

The Morehead State volleyball, women’s tennis and women’s track and field programs each garnered a 1,000 during all four years included in the cohort, while men’s tennis, women’s golf, softball, women’s tennis, rifle and volleyball turned in perfect scores during the report’s most recent school year.

“Congratulations to all of our student-athletes, especially those associated with the perfect scores,” Assistant Athletic Director for Student-Athlete Services & Senior Woman Administrator Sara Larson said. “Our entire coaching staff is committed to recruiting quality student-athletes who will succeed in the classroom and in their playing venues. We have an excellent facility at the EAGLE Center, and I fully believe our academic staff has the resources to help our athletes achieve their goals and earn their degrees.”

The athletic department acquired and refurbished the former Wellness Center into the 7,000-square-foot EAGLE Center in 2011. MSU was also one of six NCAA institutions to receive a $360,000 grant as part of a pilot program aimed at enhancing student-athlete academic performance and improving APR efforts. The university contributed an additional $180,000. The grant allowed the department to add one full-time staff member.

The NCAA’s multi-year APR is part of the overall Division I academic reform effort and is intended to highlight teams that demonstrate a commitment to academic progress and student-athlete retention.

“One of our goals as a university, as well as our athletic program, is that all of our student-athletes have a memorable, meaningful experience and graduate within five years,” Head Women’s Golf Coach Stephanie Barker said. “The number of teams that are accomplishing this is a true testament to our academic staff and university.”

Along with the perfect multi-year scores from volleyball, women’s tennis and women’s track and field, the rifle team scored a 994 and the softball and soccer programs produced marks of 990 in the four-year period. Eight programs scored 1,000 for eligibility/graduation for 2011-12, while eight sports earned a maximum score for retention.

“Our student-athletes at Morehead State work hard and have the support system and tools to be successful both on and off the playing field,” Barker added. “We all want to win championships with young men and women who are of high character and who will ultimately earn their college degrees. It is fantastic to see this being accomplished by so many of our teams.”

The APR provides a real-time look at a team’s academic success each semester by tracking the progress of each student-athlete on scholarship. The APR takes into account eligibility, retention and graduation, and provides a full assessment of each team’s academic performance.